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6.02.2012

Jose Mourinho wants to have Xabi Alonso until he ceases to be coach of Real Madrid. The manager and white coach has told to the player about the desire to have him in the template all the duration of his project and this, as was announced last week, has been extended until 2016.

Jose Mourinho and Xabi Alonso

The midfielder's contract expires in June 2014, two years before the new contract Mourinho has signed in recent days. This means that the club will start working on expanding the relationship with the Spanish player who faces his penultimate season at Real Madrid. Although there is no hurry, he is regarded as a man of the club

The player came in 2009, after paying 27 million euros to Liverpool, and signed for five seasons. Although there has been no formal negotiations, have taken the first steps to transmit him confidence, make him see that is a key element in this template, and that despite the 30 years he has, his age is not an obstacle. Just the opposite.

Portuguese coach likes to have the main players close, players to be a reference inside and outside the field for younger, fans and rivals. At critical moments is when such players are the most important because they never hide nor give up. In this kind of moments and matches, Xabi meets all requirements.

In the club offices is known that the player is necessary for the long-term project that Florentino Perez and Mourinho want to develop. To provide continuity and help grow a young team and sometimes inexperienced, the club has set the target, toextend the contract of Xabi Alonso, a veteran and a professional example. Also, today he is still irreplaceable. Nuri Sahin, player who has been signed to take his replacement, has to continue learning alongside the Spanish midfielder.

There will be Xabi Alonso for many years. He plans to return one day to Real Sociedad team, where he started and where he wants to hang up his boots, but now is in the sports maturity and has the ambition to win the best titles. He knows that at Real Madrid can be achieved.

6.01.2012

Real Madrid have closed a new pre-season 2012-2013 friendly which will also be the debut of the white team in the next season. Will be on July 24 at the new Grand Stadium of Tangiers against Moghreb Athletic Tetouan (MAT), which has just been proclaimed, for the first time ever, champions of the Moroccan First division football.

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has summoned his workforce in Valdebebas Sports City on July 15, at least to those who do not play the Eurocup 2012. In principle, the first pre-season game would be against Benfica on 27 July attending the Eusebio Cup, but white players will have a trip to Morocco soon after the holidays.

Real Madrid has virtually closed the pre-season. As happened last year, the trainings are aimed at reaching the best physical condition to face the Super Cup that will have to play against FC Barcelona. This time the first leg will be at the Nou Camp on August 22 and the second at the Santiago Bernabeu on August 29.

After the two friendlies in Morocco and Portugal, Real Madrid will go back to Los Angeles where white team will play its third friendly on August 2 against Los Angeles Galaxy. Real Madrid has confirmed two more friendlies in the U.S.A.: August 5 in Las Vegas against Juventus and 8 in New York against Milan. The MLS (Major League Soccer) has also announced a friendly against Celtic on August 11 in Philadelphia, but from the white club has not yet been confirmed. Back in Spain, Madrid will prepare the Spanish Super Cup in Valdebebas.

Florentino Perez meets today three years as president since his inauguration in his second spell at the club (the first was from 2000 to 2006). He returned to the presidency under the slogan, "The illusion returns" and Florentino has not broken his word at this time. He chose to stay at the background and do not talk to the media so much as in his first stage, but with the decision to stand up to the best team at that time, FC Barcelona: "His great campaign does not scare me but that motivates me". In that spirit, president undertook an initial investment of 254 million euros in signings: "We must do in a year what has not been done in three", he repeated.

Florentino Perez with Cristiano Ronaldo

With these intentions, Florentino Perez signed Jorge Valdano as the 'prime minister' of the club, who served as general director with Miguel Pardeza as sporting director. Valdano chose Pellegrini to the bench. The Chilean coach got the second best score in the league in the history of the Spanish league with 96 points, but did not achieve the championship, the team was defeated in the Spanish cup by Alcorcon (a third division team) and was eliminated in the last-16 round of Champions League against Lyon (for the sixth consecutive year). Huge reasons for his departure.

Then, Florentino Perez signed Jose Mourinho from Inter Milan by eight million euros. In the first year with the Portuguese coach, the team reached the semifinals of the Champions League, ended second in the Spanish league and won the Cup. In May last year the president fired Valdano and Mourinho remained as general manager. Unlike the first stage, he gives the coach the absolute power. Thus, in the second year of Mourinho, the team has won the league with the highest score in history (100 points), was close to reach the Champions League final after defeating Bayern Munchen in the 2nd leg of the semifinals, as well as in the Spanish Cup against Barca. Florentino has managed to keep intact the illusion of fans.

After reaching sport stability with Mourinho, coach of the team until 2016, now Florentino Perez and the board must face other challenges to ensure continuity of the club at the top of the ranking of the best European teams. These are the most important challenges:

Bernabeu Project. Florentino introduced in the assembly of September the plan to cover the stadium with a retractable roof. It will also create a shopping center on the facade facing Castellana street.

Valdebebas Residence. The construction works will begin this summer. The building for the first team will be available from 2014. 7,000 square meters with 60 rooms, restaurant and medical center. The youth teams will have another building with 7,500 square meters with 40 double and triple rooms.

Events of 110th anniversary. There is a extensive list of events. On Sunday, the Heart Classic Match and July 14, the tennis match between Nadal and Djokovic. There is a traveling exhibition with club trophies in Spain.

Theme Park. A marina imitating the shape of the shield of Real Madrid, a football stadium with an open side to the sea, a museum, a five star hotel and a beach resort. This will be the 'Real Madrid Resort Island' which will open in 2015 in the UAE.

Schools and Foundation. Real Madrid has distributed 111 schools of the Realmadrid Foundation in Spain and 202 in other 62 countries. In total, 50,227 people. The club plans to continue these activities to fulfill its social responsibility.

5.31.2012

The transfer of Altintop to Galatasaray is imminent, but not yet closed. Yesterday, a Turkish news agency issued a statement assuring the player had signed for Galatasaray: "That's right, I signed for Galatasaray" said Altintop according to the agency. But his agent, Reza Fazeli, denied that Altintop had spoken with the agency. Of course, admitted that they are in negotiations and that the operation could come to fruition in the coming days. Real Madrid also confirmed that it had not formally closed the transfer of the player.

Hamit Altintop in Turkey

Real Madrid's player wants to finish his career in Turkey and in principle will sign a three-year contract at a rate of three million euros per season. What remains is the amount that the Turkish would pay for the transfer to the white team. Recall that Altintop came free from Bayern Munich, so the amount to be received by the white club will not be high.

Mourinho left the door open to his departure on Turkish television: "I would be happy if Altintop stays in Madrid, but if he wants a change of scenery, it is his life. If he wants to return to Turkey we will make things easy". And the truth is that the player has never felt comfortable in Madrid. Already in August, Turkish media showed information talking about a transfer to Galatasaray in December. Also pointed that Terim, coach of the Turkish team, had called Altintop to convince him that in Ottoman club he would be important.

Keep in mind that Altintop began the season with a back surgery for which he missed the preseason. He only played 613 minutes of 5,220 possible and scored one goal (against Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan). His few opportunities have finished convincing him to leave Madrid.

Real Madrid's kits for the 2012-2013 season have arrived. Adidas, the sportswear brand which wears the white club, has made some modifications with respect to the 2011-2012 season jerseys. "The new shirt's design combines the club's promising future and its long tradition" says Adidas, featuring a logo commemorating its 110-year history on the left sleeve. This exclusive Adidas design, highlighting a 100+ year history, will be featured in a large number of clothes from the rest of the match, training and sport collections.

Real Madrid's kits for the 2012-2013 season

As a novelty, the home kit uses navy blue and turquoise in its design, looking for contrasts in details. The retro spirit of the shirt is also represented in the effect produced by vertical lines in tonal contrast, while also having a slight, elegant and timeless v-neck design. The home shirt will bear the shield of the LFP (League Association) in the right sleeve and the Champions logo will be in European Cup matches. As usual, on the left side at the front, Real Madrid will wear the shield and on the right the logo of the sports brand.

The away kit has the same textile design and has even greater impact by combining a darker navy blue foundation with electric yellow highlights. The great differentiation with the home jersey will be a round neck.

The shirts have been made with Adidas' exclusive Climacool Technology, which allows athletes to control their body temperature and facilitates transpiration thanks to the use of technical fabrics. The Real Madrid's kits may be purchased by fans at official Real Madrid and Adidas stores.

5.30.2012

The presence of Jose Mourinho last Saturday in Hamburg to see the match Brazil vs Denmark has returned to the stage the interest of Real Madrid on the Brazilian international player Lucas Moura (Sao Paulo). But in no case it was considered as a decisive step for an immediate signing.

Lucas Moura

In fact, this particular circumstance of spying by the coach has not changed at all the intentions there are in the white club with the player. The best option that Real Madrid provides for now is to try to secure a purchase option so the player can continue to play at least a year in Sao Paulo.

Moreover, there were few new conclusions that Mourinho could get during the friendly. Lucas Moura played out of his natural position, placed to the left and with little presence in the offensive game of his team. Nothing to do with the active participation that he often provides in Sao Paulo when he plays as playmaker.

Lucas Moura's performance did not convince Mourinho and the coach talked about it with members of the white club. The Portuguese thinks Moura is not ready to make the leap from Brazil to a team from the requirement of Real Madrid this summer. Mourinho is also aware that Sao Paulo will ask for more than 25 million euros (rejected an offer of that amount from Inter Milan) and there are several major European teams interested in him. So the operation would be too expensive, especially if the coach is unsure of his performance.

The white coach's decision is not based on this match with Brazil. Real Madrid managed good reports of the player and had provided to Mourinho several videos and data of the Brazilian player. So after his journey through Turkey. Mourinho moved to Itmech Arena in Hamburg with his agent, Jorge Mendes, and his son to see Lucas Moura live.

After the friendly match, Moura himself admitted that he knew the interest of Mourinho: "I did not know he was here, but I knew he would see the game somehow". Sao Paulo's president, Juvenal Juvencio, has also talked about this: "Real Madrid is one of those who are interested in him". But the player's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, has said he will stay in Brazil until 2014. Moura agreed with his agent: "It is too early to go to Europe". Mourinho thinks the same that the player.

Ricardo Kaka could return to Sao Paulo nine years after his departure. That is the desire of the institution of Morumbi and it has been so transferred to white playmaker. Last Thursday there was a meeting at restaurant Dona Onça of Sao Paulo between Real Madrid player and Marco Aurelio Cunha, board member of the Brazilian team. The counselor inquired about options for signing him again for the Sao Paulo team.

Ricardo Kaka could return to Sao Paulo

"I want to succeed here and I will not go", was the speech held by Kaka this season. However, now he would welcome to return to Brazil. Mainly for two reasons. His long-awaited return to Sao Paulo ("I will return someday" he says) and the 2014 World Cup to be played in his country. The white 8 has in his mind to play this important competition, something that is very difficult if he continues taking a secondary role in the set of Mourinho.

Therefore, the meeting with Cunha reached great significance, more so, for who is this person. His ancestry on decisions made from the offices of Morumbi is considerable, although not as superintendent of football (he held this position from 2002 to January 2011). As an illustration, Cunha sponsored the arrival of the coach Emerson Leao in October. Furthermore, Cunha has announced his candidacy for the presidential elections of 2014 and although if now he could not materialize the return of Kaka, the player would be in a good position to sign in the next two years.

The next step of Sao Paulo to repatriate Kaka will be formalized through concrete proposals. The Sao Paulo club would be willing to take his salary (nine million euros per season) through sponsors, in the same style Neymar signed his contract with Santos (Nike, Panasonic, Nextel and Red Bull cover a lot of of his salary). The agreement with Real Madrid will be more difficult because Sao Paulo will never come close to pay the 25 million euros offered by the PSG. The French club will be the biggest opponent for the Sao Pualo supporters to get their idol.

Angel Di Maria (Rosario, 1988) takes stock of a contradictory season for him. On the one hand, he has suffered greatly because of injuries. On the other hand, there was one of the greatest joys of his career after winning the Spanish League with Real Madrid, the club he hopes to be many years. The left-end is like a fish in water in Madrid and in the white club, where he feels the love from the fans, Mourinho and his companions, with whom he has hit it off perfectly despite his shyness. "I feel that people love me too" he says blushing.

Angel Di Maria

Did you suffer much by injuries this season?
Yes, I suffered a lot. It was very hard. Luckily, my wife was very supportive and did not let me fall. Because when I was recovering, dropped again, recovered and dropped again... I was unlucky, because, for example, in the game against Racing I came to the field, I kicked a goal very strong and nothing happened. But then I slipped and was injured. I could not believe it. And now it gone, luckily, but I felt wrong. I am working the quadriceps to keep it strong.

Did you feel supported by Mourinho during recovery?
Mourinho was with me a lot during my recovery. He is an excellent coach. He supports his players. He was always with me during my injury, asking me how I felt and how the recovery process was coming along. It helped because it made me know I'd have the chance to be a starter when I returned. He brought out the best in me. I have grown considerably since he started being my coach; I think I had served 14 assists in the season before I was injured.

What do you think after winning their first league title with Real Madrid?
I am very happy for winning the league title in my second year on the team. It is impressive. I hope we continue to grow and winning titles next year. What matters is we won La Liga and made the fans happy. I hope we win the Tenth next year.

What do you think about the team? Does a new era begins?
We did things much better this year and it showed in all the records we broke, the points we took and goals we scored... We were stronger than Barcelona because we had a nine-point cushion over them and scored more goals. We have to continue establishing records. We proved we can defeat Barcelona. We did a good job throughout the year.

Is the Tenth European Cup an obsession that may end up decreasing performance?
We may win the Tenth any time now. We came close twice and I hope we win the UCL next year so we can celebrate again at Cibeles. It was amazing, one of the best moments in my career.

And about the fans?
I won the fans over with hard work. They have been with me from the start. Everyone told me it was very difficult to win the Bernabeu's affection, but I did. I do not feel pressure any more and play like I do anywhere else; it's the same with my friends than before a crowd 80,000 strong.

Can you imagine playing many years for Real Madrid?
I feel very loved and hopefully remain playing for Real Madrid for many years. I wish I could stay long. I remember the first time I went to the locker room of Real Madrid; to see me there, to feel that I had arrived. I was thrilled. I was in the clouds.

5.29.2012

Realmadrid Foundation presented yesterday at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the book 'La Liga del 110'. The event was attended by club president Florentino Perez, the honorary president Alfredo Di Stefano, Enrique Ortego, journalist and author of the book, and Jose Mourinho. "This club was born to seek always victory and we have achieved this year the best and most exciting league of the history. The league of 100 points, of the 121 goals and 110 years", said the president. A club with history, the most successful of all time. The last league trophy, which was exposed during the act, is the best example.

Florentino Perez with Alfredo Di Stefano

Florentino Perez, president of the club, acted as director for the presentation of this book, which describes the 110 years of life of the most successful football team of Europe: "Thank you for your presence in the Bernabeu stadium, the main area to the life of this club, in which Real Madrid has spent 65 years. But there have been 110 years of emotions, constant dedication and passion for victory. Our fans deserve the greatest effort for the love they have always felt for this shield. We have learned that for Real Madrid unattainable concepts are not impossible. We will never give up. This club was born to seek victory and we are proud of our past and our present. We achieved the best and most exciting league of the history. A league with many records and is the achievement of team and coaching staff."

Moreover, Florentino Perez publicly thanked all the signs of affection that has received since last May 22 when his wife Maria Angeles Sandoval, known as 'Pitina', died: "I deeply thank all the signs of love, affection and respect that my family and I have received in a difficult time for everyone", he said.

Enrique Ortego, journalist and author of the work, closed the ceremony: "We are facing the sixth book in the collection. After traveling through the lives of Raul, Cristiano Ronaldo, Di Stefano, Zidane and Casillas, now is time for the club. When we were in the last pages, we met a wonderful gift: the Spanish league title. It was also the league of 100 points and 121 goals. This is a pure reference book, about history and stories. It is a review of this league and the 79 official titles the club has achieved throughout its history."

This Sunday will be a very special day for all Real Madrid fans. In the morning, 5,000 club members will visit Valdebebas Sport City for their annual meeting. The 32nd League Championship (with all imaginable records) and the brilliant return of Castilla to Second Division will be celebrated for a long. And in the afternoon, from 7:15 pm (CET) the Bernabeu stadium will host the third annual Heart Classic Match. The Real Madrid vs Manchester United (former players) is really interesting for the fans, who has already bought 45,000 tickets.

But the pace of sales will accelerate from now when people know that Roberto Carlos will reappear on Sunday dressed in white. He will start against the Old Red Devils and will see as his dream of playing again at the Bernabeu comes true. With all the supporters that idolized him for eleven years (1996-2007).

Roberto Carlos at the Santiago Bernabeu trophy room

Do not forget that Brazilian player did not leave Real Madrid as he had wanted. He was a hero of the 30th Spanish League title. In the last match of the season, he started against Mallorca (3-1), had an incredible performance, then put himself the Brazilian flag stuffing his small and muscular body, and said goodbye to the fans who adore him: "I leave with mixed feelings, but I am happy for the fans. They deserve it." Five years later, the club has put together a tribute that will help fill the stands at the Bernabeu. This Sunday will be sung his name as so many times.

Roberto Carlos left five years ago, but has always been emotionally linked with Real Madrid. With Florentino Perez has always had good relationship, as evidenced by the tribute that the president organised on last February 12. On that occasion, on the visit of Levante in a league match, invited Roberto Carlos to the field and the player made the honour kick-off.

On the other hand, Sunday's game will allow us to see historical stars as Butragueño, Sanchis, Buyo, Martin Vazquez, Fernando Redondo and Santillana. The match with the old glories of Manchester United has an added incentive because it will allow us to enjoy some players of the team of Glasgow, which won the last Champions League that has been dyed white: the Ninth.

Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos, Morientes, Helguera and Fernando Hierro. The six are cited for the match on Sunday. Only five players from the starting lineup that beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 will miss the match: Cesar (has played this season for Villarreal), Salgado (Blackburn), Solari (has approved the first part of coaching course and is a columnist for a Spanish daily), Makelele (assistant of Ancelotti in PSG) and Raul, who just signed by Al Sadd and will not play the Classic Match until he hangs up the boots.

Heart Classic Match will have another surprise on the field. Pierluigi Collina will be in charge of leading the match. The Italian referee, retired (left the competition in 2005), currently holds the post of head of UEFA's arbitration. Icon both on and off the field, was named by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the best referee in the last quarter century (1987-2011).

5.28.2012

Real Madrid Castilla is already a second division team. Five years after that players like Mata, Negredo or Granero with Michel on the bench, could not avoid relegation to the third category, the Real Madrid youth team returns to the silver category of Spanish football. After becoming champion of its group, the white team has defeated Cadiz in the two qualifying matches with an unusual superiority; 0-3 and 5-1 are the results.

Real Madrid Castilla players celebrate the fifth goal of the match

Precisely because they were group winners, Castilla and Cadiz had two opportunities for advancement. Real Madrid Castilla took the first, Cadiz have to wait. Toril, team coach and one of the great architects of achievement, said days before the beginning of the knockout round, that the match of the first leg would be key, the match at the Ramon de Carranza stadium. He was not mistaken. Real Madrid Castilla won and convinced by 0-3 and Cadiz second leg comeback seemed almost impossible.

As a result of the great result harvested in Andalusia, the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium was full and lived a festive ambient, almost celebratory. Although of course the white team had to play the game. Before the start was saved an emotional moment of silence for the recent death of 'Pitina', wife of Florentino Perez. The president wanted to see the match as Mourinho. Karanka was also present in the stadium.

Coach Alberto Toril used the same lineup as in the first leg and his boys needed just 12 minutes to net the opener: Jese stole the ball from Baquero, faced Aulestia, dribbled past him and scored in an empty goal. If Cadiz had minimal options to comeback, they disappeared at the time.

Cadiz had a strong start, but the goal was a harsh blow that kickstarted the locals siege on their goal. Morata and Joselu had chances to score a second (13', 29'), but both shots were off target. The Whites dominated the match and Morata was tackled inside the box by Camille, but Joselu failed to convert the penalty (33’). Mosquera eventually scored a second strike for the team just before half-time from an impressive 40-metre free-kick.

Joselu netted a third from a crossed shot following an assist from Carvajal (57'). De Coz scored the only strike for Cadiz in the whole tie on the 77-minute mark, but soon Mosquera tallied the fourth with another impressive long distance shot (81') and Morata sealed the pour following a pass by Denis (84').

Gonzalo Higuain gave an interview to the Spanish press moved to Argentina to track your progress with the national team. On June 2, he will play against Ecuador. Today marks two weeks of the cries of the Bernabeu fans: "Pipa, stay!" but he does not want to answer certain questions about his future because he never said he would leave the white team.

Gonzalo Higuaín

After a season with Real Madrid, what do you feel? Physical or psychological fatigue with so much pressure?
It's both. The physical, because you are constantly playing, and the psychological because it is hard. It's been a tough year in which we reached far in the Champions League and won La Liga. It was stressing, but I'm glad we won the league in the end. I'm excited about what there is in store for Real Madrid and Argentina.

In this tough year, what was the moment you were more moved?
The last match with Real Madrid really affected me. It is amazing to hear all the crowd and your teammates asking you to stay, and Sergio Ramos' words of introduction were very moving. That was one of the most beautiful moments I've had at the club in five years, if not the most beautiful. You always remember those moments. I was moved by their affection. I won a title with Real Madrid this season, which was the harvest of very hard work.

Do you feel loved in the locker room of Real Madrid?
I get along great with everyone on the squad. I spend most of my time with Di Maria. We watch River Plate and Rosario matches together. Real Madrid have a healthy squad. I love to kid around in the dressing room and make people laugh, but I also have moments of stress, like everyone else.

What was the Real Madrid shirt you wore after the conquest of the Spanish League? It was signed by your teammates of the squad.
Nothing what was said

It seemed like a farewell.
They signed it as signed the shirts of the other two leagues I won. I appreciate the affection of the squad.

You have become team captain.
I managed to see the dream of being Real Madrid's captain in some games come true for me. I was never the team captain, but I felt proud to wear the armband. It's good that there is really just one captain.

Is it a pleasure to have kept your scoring records?
I'm very happy with the number of goals I scored this season, but I could have scored more.

Real Madrid-Barcelona o River-Boca?
Games between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and those between River Plate and Boca Juniuors, are beautiful Clasicos to be a part of. It is an honour to wear Real Madrid's shirt in games as important as those.

Do you have a weakness for Di Stefano? Don Alfredo has defined you as one of the best players in the team.
I greatly admire and idolise Alfredo di Stefano. He lived it all at Real Madrid and transmits it. It is amazing. I love to listen to him. I learn from what he has to say.

How do you play in the Argentinian national team?
My national coach rightly asks of me what I am asked at Real Madrid. He wants me to play diagonally and get clear from my markers. I don't play with the same footballers, but he basically wants me to do what I do at Real Madrid.

5.27.2012

Carlos Santillana, as it was known in the football world, was born on August 23, 1952, in Santillana del Mar (Cantabria). He started playing football competition in his hometown, but soon was signed by Satelite, a team of Barreda, a village near Santillana. There he played in the junior category and within the same club came to play in third division. In the beginning, was not yet clear what position in the field he liked. Usually he played in the midfield, but also in the front and was gradually awakening interest among some scouts in the area.

Finishing the sixties, the career of Santillana suffers a dramatic turnaround. The young player is summoned by the coach Jose Emilio Santamaria to join the Spanish national youth team to play against France. The following year, in season 1970/71, Santillana signed for Racing Santander and gets the top scorer trophy of the second division. An unsurprising fact becuase he had earlier demonstrated his scoring ability achieving the same award in the regional category in Cantabria.

With the heat of August 1971, Real Madrid closed a transfer operation with Racing that is used to pay off a debt of twenty-six million pesetas that the Cantabrian team maintained with Real Madrid. In the procurement list were the names of "Ico" Aguilar, Corral and a player they called Santillana who was not yet nineteen.

In 1972 Carlos Santillana goes through the worst moment of his career. Some traces of blood in the urine after a match against Espanyol, alert the doctors of Real Madrid who submitted him to various clinical examinations. Although the news is zealously guarded, on May 7 of that year jumps to the cover of all the newspapers of the country. Santillana have a congenital anomaly, being placed his two kidneys in the same body part. The impact was truly impressive with rumours that he had to leave the football. In the end, and after consultation with the player himself, doctors suggest that he may continue to exercise his profession.

Exceeded the mishap, ended the season getting to be the club's top scorer in both league and European Cup, though with the distaste for not having achieved any title. A year to forget where his only joy was to have participated in the tribute to his countryman, Paco Gento.

Apart from presenting a track record hard to beat (9 Leagues, 4 Cups of Spain, two UEFA Cup) in the mind of Santillana will always endure the final of the European Cup loss on May 27, 1981 in the Parc des Princes against Liverpool. Another gray time refers to the final played against Aberdeen in 1983. The scenario was on this occasion the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg. Again a British team had departed him from the continental glory.

These two thorns in the heart of Santillana were palliated with two UEFA Cups won by Real Madrid (1985, 1986) after nineteen years without achieving any European title. Both titles were marked by a factor, the "stage fright", and Carlos Santillana was one of the main characters of that era. Despite reap bad results out of the Bernabeu, Real Madrid was able to exploit the field factor, with comebacks in playoffs that seemed already lost in advance. Videoton and Cologne had to bow this time against Real Madrid.

Among the most important comebacks is the achieved against the Borussia, on December 11, 1985, with a win 4-0, which canceled the lost match 5-1 against Moenchengladbach. Santillana got the winning goal in the last minute of the contest. Santillana scored the goal on the 89 minute and all the fans walked into the world of the legend, of historical comebacks. A goal worthy of a man of character and commitment.

His story ends with his intervention in the Spanish national team, whose jersey defended 53 times. He debuted in 1975, and scored a total of fifteen goals. He participated in two World Cups, Argentina and Spain, getting to be second in the Eurocup 1984, again at the Parc des Princes against France. In qualifying stage, Santillana was one of the principal players of the epic 12-1 against Malta, one of the most important matches in the history of Spanish football.

On May 22 of 1988, played his last official match for Real Madrid against Valladolid. That day Real Madrid celebrated its achievement of the twenty-third league title. It was the last night that the head of Carlos Santillana flew again in the sky at Chamartin. Possibly the best head-game player there has ever been. He had a huge jump power. He stayed in the air and connected with the ball. He formed a legendary partnership with Juanito.

Jose Mourinho went yesterday to Hamburg to watch live the match Brazil-Denmark (3-1) where Lucas Moura played, the Sao Paulo's playmaker Real Madrid is interested on. Mourinho traveled from Turkey to Hamburg, accompanied by his son, to watch a duel in which Marcelo also started. Television pictures pointed to the coach of Real Madrid at the break.

Mourinho and his son at Hamburg

His presence in the Imtech Arena was picked up by several media and on Twitter, where even had the answer of Eladio Parames (unofficial Mourinho's agent): "He may have been to see Lucas or the other 21 players than have play". In addition to Lucas, the coach wanted to see Danilo, the Porto right-back who was loaned last winter to Santos, and the Danish Daniel Wass, right side ,22 (international player in all categories) belonging to Benfica but is on loan at the Evian Thonon of the First French (he can play right and left, and even as end, but does not improve the performance of Carvajal, the Real Madrid Castilla player).

The parents of Lucas and his agent, Wagner Ribeiro, visited the Bernabeu stadium on April 14 (They were caught by the cameras) and had dinner with Florentino Perez. Sao Paulo president acknowledged recently that Real Madrid is the most interested club in the player. Lucas renewed last year until 2015 with Sao Paulo, which rejected an Inter MIlan offer (25 million euros). His contract's termination clause is 80 million, and the player himself (the father) owns 20 percent of the rights of his transfer, which will be 30 percent from next July. At 19, Lucas is the biggest star of Brazil with Neymar and both will be in the Olympic Games.